The Years That Go By
by Heidi
Summary: How quickkly life can change


The Years That Go By  
By Heidi H.  
  
Disclaimers-These are not my characters and I am making no money off of them. The song doesn't belong to me either. It belongs to Vanessa Williams, Will Jennings, Sony, and Simon Climie.  
  
Ratings-PG, July Challenge Song Fic  
  
  
The song is "Oh How The Years Go By" by Vanessa Williams from the album "Next".  
  
  
  
Set-Audiotape being played over the radio after a tragedy.  
  
  
  
"We are breaking into your regularly scheduled programming to bring you this announcement from the National News Service." the DJ stated without emotion.  
  
  
"We have recently learned that former President Josiah Bartlet, Leo McGarry, Josh Lyman, and Toby Ziegler were in a boat crash earlier this evening. The boat's captain, Sam Seaborn was also severely injured in the crash. He is at Memorial Hospital listed in critical condition. All six Secret Service Agents on board were also killed in the crash. He was the only survivor. The crash is under investigation and they will have a statement in a few hours." the news anchor commented.  
  
"Our prayers are with the families tonight. As a tribute, we are bringing you Annie Benson's special audio recording of her book 'Tears And Triumphs'. The book which graces store shelves on Tuesday has been on the list of books that are sure to make a splash with the mainstream public. These are her impressions of the things that she has seen close up. We also want to point out that Miss Benson worked in the White House as a Press Liaison for the Bartlet White House. These are her own personal recollections and observations. Thank you for joining us tonight in this final tribute." the dj stated again without emotion.  
  
  
  
In our times of trouble  
We only had ourselves  
Nobody else  
No one was there to save us  
We had to save ourselves  
  
The hearings were the worst anyone had ever seen. The special prosecutor put every single one of them on tv. He wanted the country to see the fall that these people would be taking, live. The prosecutor ripped into everyone. He brought out their worst and most embarrassing moments, only to be shut down by these dedicated people. No one would forget when Donna Moss told the prosecutor that her life before Bartlet wasn't any of his damn business. No one expected the little mousy blond to stand up to the big bad Republican.   
  
  
And when the storms came through  
They found me and you  
Back together  
And when the sun would shine  
It was yours and mine  
Yours and mine forever  
  
The death of Delores Landingham brought many things into perspective. People realized how fragile life was and that they needed to live life to its fullest and make sure that they had no regrets. Donna Moss was asked out by three separate men that she worked with, but there was only one that held her heart in his hand. CJ Cregg found two men also vying for her attention and knew the one that she wanted. People were acting on their feelings for the first time in a long time. The presidential health crisis brought to light that there are things that people are not entitled to know. Some things are just meant to be kept private and personal.  
  
Oh how the years go by  
Oh how the love brings tears to my eyes  
All through the changes, the soul never dies  
We fight, we laugh, we cry  
As the years go by  
  
During the hearings, we saw how people changed. Donna Moss had unshed tears in her eyes on the first day of her first appearance. No one would have thought she'd last under the intense and very personal questioning. Not even Sam, Josh, Leo, or Toby thought she'd last for the four weeks that she was on the stand. And when she told the prosecutor that her life before Bartlet wasn't any of his damn business, they and the rest of the country were stunned. By the time that the hearings were drawing to a close, the country had watched a distinct change in these people. They may have started out rocky, but by the end, they were determined and fierce people who were ready, willing, and able to fight the good fight.  
  
  
There were times we stumbled  
They thought they had us down  
We came around  
How we rolled and rambled  
We got lost and we got found  
Now we're back on solid ground  
  
The gunfire came quickly. People hit the ground, pulling others with them. Some were saved in that moment from becoming a causality. Others were not as lucky. Josh Lyman was wounded during his tenure with President Bartlet. He will always carry the scar of what it cost him. Charlie Young has to live with the fact that the color of his skin and who he was dating, put so many people into the line of fire. People who were his friends. The shooting changed a lot of people that night and it changed this country.  
  
We took everything  
All our times would bring  
In this world of danger  
'Cause when your heart is strong  
You know you're not alone  
In this world of strangers  
  
The hearings were the only thing on tv. Everyone wanted a thing. Everyone wanted to delve into these people's lives and find out what they were about. The senior staff and their assistants presented a united front. They all answered the questions that were asked. No one used their fifth amendment right. These people showed the country that they had nothing to hide and wanted to have the country hear their side of the facts. Many people were surprised that these high profile people wanted to tell the truth and in fact did tell the truth. It was something to be seen.  
  
  
If we loose our way  
Any night or day  
Well, we'll always be  
I'm there for you  
And I know you're there for me  
  
Leo and Margaret had a bond that went beyond the traditional boss/assistant. She was the one who had been with him during those years of drug and alcohol induced hazes. He had depended on her so much and she gave service above and beyond the call. It was something that no one else could understand, but the two people who were closer than anything.  
  
Josh and Donna shared more than any other team and they were a team. He bounced ideas off of her and took what she said to heart, not that he ever let her know it. She was the one who handled his over indulgences of alcohol and when he showed up at her place, she never turned him away. She was the one who took care of him during the recovery after the shooting. Donna was the one who made sure that he went to the hospital and had his hand looked at when he put it through the window. Josh was the one guy who could make her laugh and cry all at the same time. It was something to see.  
  
  
  
As the years go by  
You know you're not alone  
In this world of strangers  
  
  
After the shooting and the hearings, the staff was the one thing that was constant in the Bartlet administration. Sam, CJ, Leo, Josh, Toby, Donna, Carol, Margaret, Ginger, and Bonnie were the glue. They got through things with determination and vigor. All of them realized that tomorrow it would be better and even better the next day and the best was yet to come.  
  
  
"If you are just joining us tonight, you have been listening to Annie Benson's audio recording of her book 'Tears And Triumphs'. We are playing this tonight as a tribute to former President Josiah Bartlet, Leo McGarry, Josh Lyman, and Toby Ziegler. All were killed earlier this evening in a boat crash, along with all of the Secret Service Agents on board. The Coast Guard will be holding a press briefing in about two hours. Sam Seaborn, the captain of the boat, was the only survivor and he is listed in critical condition. Right now our hearts are filled with prayers for the families of the people on that plane, including the Bartlets, Donna Moss-Lyman, Ginger Seaborn, and CJ Cregg-Ziegler. We will be running the audio book all evening." the dj stated, more emotional than ever.  
  
  



End file.
